Topic Proposal: Kids Meals

Trying to find a great iconic "artifact" for childhood obesity was pretty difficult. All I could really think of was cultural ideas or images that evoke thoughts about childhood obesity. But then with some help brainstorming from a friend, I discovered the artifact that best represents childhood obesity: toys in kid’s meals. Think about all of the fast food restaurants you have been too; McDonalds, Burger Kings, Wendy's etc., ALL of them offer kids toys in their kids meals. It’s calling to the child's inner id, "I want it and I want it now!" The reason the child gets they meal is for the toy, and then they are eating a meal that is not even healthy because they wanted a toy. Not only are they toys, which no matter what it is kids will want it to play with for a matter of five minutes, then later forget about it, they are toys that typically are current and relate so some movie or TV show that is out. This means that every time parents take their kids to a fast food restaurant, there is a DIFFERENT toy offered there. It is a continuous cycle of advertising poor food to children. With this artifact in the use of my next paper it will be easy to isolate an audience, the significance of the kids meals toys (using statistics on the profit through the use of kids meal toys), as well as how it reframes the message fast food companies are sending to children. I think this artifact is a great topic for my next essay.